Yes, we are. It seems only fair to note that children’s poor diet is a direct consequence of what they are fed by their parents.
And if you don’t believe it’s a life or death issue, have a look at this story of the death of a 16-year-old boy who collapsed and died during a PE class. The autopsy may prove that it was sudden cardiac death, rather than a heart attack, but a friend of ours anecdotally tells us that she has heard of a dozen similar tragedies this year alone: children dying because they have neglected their health – too many chips!
A couple of further illustrations from Ireland are reflected in developed economies around the world. Research shows that:
*more than half of children consume sweets and 37% drink fizzy drinks at least once a day;
*the rate of overweight and obese children is increasing by 100,000 a year;
*fruit and vegetable intakes are only half the recommended amount;
*there are inadequate intakes of foliate, calcium, iron and vitamins A, C and B2 is common, especially among girls.
Personal anecdote sends a tangible message. Two recent scenes: Nearing the drop-off point for school at 8.45 am I notice a youth of about 12 enjoying a chocolate bar for breakfast. A 13 year old class-mate of one of my children gave a dramatic performance and refused home fries, french beans, even bread and butter in order to obtain nuggets and chips at the burger bar.
Children have no idea what they’re doing to themselves. And parents are letting them do what they like, or even encouraging bad habits “because it makes them happy”.
The report above also gives this all too true illustration:
One principal said: “We tried to ban crisps a couple of years back, but we experienced extreme resistance from a number of parents, some of whom were very vocal and instead of giving their children one packet of crisp they would give them two, just to spite us.”
Dear Astraea,
Your post explains why we so desperately need more Jamie Oliver types in the public domain. It’s become such a habit for adults to prioritise our own “convenience” over the health of their dependents that the whole retail food industry has worked to support us for years. The result is a huge range of “easy” meals with long and scary ingredients lists.
While crisps and deep-fried food is a bane, sugar is frighteningly ubiquitous. My sister showed me the ingredients on her box of Windsor table salt last year: it read, “Salt, … sugar.” Wha?? (I’m not the only one appalled at this! See djsunkid.livejournal.com/70533.html for a more colorful reaction).
I’m guilty of convenience too – there’s nothing like a sugared-up, chemical-flavoured Yop or those other “healthy” probiotic drinks to appease the children in the grocery store. They’re not so appeased back in the car once the sugar rush has hit. Parents, and teachers, if they wish to remain sane, should buff up on their knowledge of “low GI foods” – the ones that burn slowly in your system to give you a stable blood-sugar level, thereby avoiding the manic car scenes.
The only way to avoid sugar is to read the label. I got used to knowing what would likely have sugar (just about everything – even the “serious” breakfast cereals, like bran or corn flakes, which are stacked apart from the coco-pop types, have a good heaped spoon of sugar in them). The WORST thing you can do, though, is buy the “no-sugar-added” or “sugar-free” WITHOUT reading the label, because often the sugar has been replaced by aspartame.